‘Outsiders’ Depicts Realistic Teen Tensions

Adults may recognize S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders” as a cross between “Romeo and Juliet” and “Rebel Without a Cause.” Popular among teenagers, the book was adapted into a well-received 1983 film, and short-lived subsequent TV series.

Christopher Sergel’s stage adaptation has been drawing capacity audiences at--of all places--the Ojai Valley Grange Hall, which has been transformed, quite nicely, into a theatrical space for the educational outreach program of Flying H Productions.

Compact and intense in its 90-minute dramatic incarnation, the story continues to touch young people and resonate with their parents as well.

The kids of this unnamed small town are divided into the “greasers” and “soc’s” (pronounced “sosches” from “social”), two cliques engaged in a mutually antagonistic class war. Max Kasch plays Ponyboy, the play’s narrator and protagonist, an intellectual greaser who’s given to quoting Robert Frost. Ponyboy and his friend Johnny (Mike Rice) tangle with some soc’s, and matters get out of hand.

Director Jody Kasch (Max’s mother), has cast actors pretty much the same age as the characters--between 13 and 20, with a few adults in minor roles. The acting is good-to-excellent most of the way through, and Max Kasch’s strong performance more than justifies any attendant nepotism.

Among the other featured players are Dara Goldman and Mia Bortolussi as a couple of girls who cross class lines; Michael Doss and Tyson Gustafson as Ponyboy’s brothers; Charles Pepper as another of Ponyboy’s friends; and Kyle Stasse and Casey Murphy as the most antagonistic soc’s.

Special mention should be given to Mia Torres, who has designed a powerfully atmospheric set, literally, out of junk.

* “The Outsiders,” Ojai Valley Grange Hall, 381 Cruzero St., near Ojai. Friday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Ends Feb. 1. $8-$10. (805) 646-8353.

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Comic Melodrama: Way across the county, the Moorpark Melodrama is presenting its latest original production, “Fenster of the French Foreign Legion.” Co-written, directed by and starring Scott Fraser, it has much of the energy of--and characters similar to--old cartoons from the Jay Ward studios. The play is larded with pop songs ranging from “Alley Oop” to Beatles tunes, to the old Danny Kaye vehicle, “Tchaikovsky.”

It’s obvious and silly (there’s a character named “Sheik Yerbouti”), just the kind of thing one expects from the Melodrama. Several of the actors share Fraser’s surname (the Melodrama is a family operation). Production values are a bit higher than they have been in recent shows.

There are particularly strong performances by Bob Fraser, Christine Kitchenmaster as the ingenue, and Melissa Mednick as an Arabian princess.

* “Fenster of the French Foreign Legion,” Moorpark Melodrama, 45 E. High St., Moorpark. Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. Ends Feb. 8. $9.50-$12. (805) 529-1212.

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Grumpy Twosome: The Marquie Dinner Theater is presenting an affecting version of “I’m Not Rappaport,” by Herb Gardner.

Don Pearlman and Charles Coffey star as a couple of limited-income grumpy old men who hang out on a bench in New York’s Central Park. Nat (Pearlman) is an aging socialist and born troublemaker; Midge (Coffey), keeps his job as a building superintendent by hiding out in the basement, figuring that if he isn’t noticed, he won’t be fired. They’re mutually antagonistic and seem to have nothing in common, but . . . you know.

It’s all warm and fuzzy, with director Rick Steinberg playing down a couple of scenes that could be much more (intentionally) unpleasant before a different audience. Pearlman once again proves himself to be one of the county’s premier actors. Coffey is a real find, and Anthony Biter and Christine Thompson shine among the supporting cast.

* “I’m Not Rappaport,” Marquie Dinner Theatre, 340 N. Mobil Ave., Camarillo. Thursday-Saturday, 6:45 p.m. through Feb. 21. $28-$33, includes buffet. (805) 484-9909.